Review: Lenovo Legion C730 Cube

There is something nostalgic about desktop gaming PCs. As much as I’ve fallen for gaming laptops due to their portability and all-in-one nature, there is a chill I get when I open a device like the C730 Cube. It houses a full desktop CPU and GPU and has plenty of I/O for your devices. Lenovo has been making the Cube line for a few years and this particular model is a solid redesign that I’m delighted we’ll see for years to come.

Specifications

CPU: 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8700K (3.2 GHz, 6-cores)

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB)

RAM: 16GB DDR4 2666 MHz

Storage: 128GB M.2 PCIe SSD | 1TB 2.5″ HDD

I/O:

Front

(2) USB 3.0

(1) Headphone Jack

(1) Mic Jack

Rear

(4) USB 3.0

(2) USB 2.0

(1) RJ45

(1) Audio Out

Dimensions: 9.09″ x 13.07″ x 9.53″

Weight: 19.84 lbs

The Good

The gaming performance of the Cube is excellent. Even with just a GTX 1060, games like Vermintide 2 (2018 release) played very well; staying well above 140 FPS. It stays quiet as a mouse during gamin; never being louder than 65 dBA during gaming sessions. At idle the Cube is consistently between 44 – 48 dBA. The overall design is fantastic. The Cube is gorgeous with a black aluminum finish and an aggressive grill in the front next to the Legion logo. The “Y” in the “O” (follow me?) lights up and so does the inside of the machine, which is visible through a glass top. Getting inside is easy with a simple pull of a clearly marked lever.

Performance

Fire Strike: 10,244

Graphics Score: 11.229

Physics Score: 18,105

Combined Score: 4,438

Sky Diver: 29,066

Graphics Score: 36,159

Physics Score: 15,377

Combined Score: 25,592

In-game Performance (v-sync disabled)

Vermintide 2 (1080p/High): 148-154 FPS

Witcher 3 (1080p/Medium): 62-68 FPS

Bioshock Infinite (1080p/Medium): 72-93 (random 144 spikes) FPS

I’m also a big fan of how this machine looks. It’s a cube (duh) but Lenovo has done a great job of rounding out the edges so they aren’t sharp. The integrated handle is pretty sweet – something I would have used a lot back in my college days (LAN parties!).

What Needs Improvement

Naturally, as with any desktop PC, you as the owner can remove the GPU and install any that you wish. That gives you some resistance to the demand of future games. I just wish the Cube had a GTX 1070 or GTX 1080 as a configuration option. Those cards have a higher demand and produce more noise and heat. So while those cards may technically fit inside the Cube, the Cube hasn’t been built with those cards in mind.

Who is this For?

If you’re looking for a solid upper-mid-level gaming rig that stays quiet – this is for you. I particularly like the carrying handle, which helps you move the Cube around.

Share:

Joe was born and raised in Portland, OR. As an illegitimate son of Zeus, Joe sometimes struggles with his humanity vs. his divinity. As a self proclaimed “health-nut” Joe drinks half his weight in protein shakes a day, and it is not uncommon for him to run for days, sometimes covering hundreds of miles.